This invention relates to an apparatus for forming a package suitable for containing, particularly, cigarettes.
In general, a bundle of, for example, 20 cigarettes is housed in a bag-like package or container formed of a sheet material such as an aluminum foil. In forming the package, a rectangular cylindrical core member called arbor is wound with the sheet material. As a result, the body portion of a parallelepiped bag-like package made of the sheet material is formed. Then, one end portion of the sheet material is folded onto one edge surface of the core member so as to form the bottom portion of the package. A bundle of cigarettes arranged in a prescribed fashion is inserted into the package through the open end thereof.
In the apparatus for forming the package, a pushing member for supporting the folded end portion of the sheet material is provided within the arbor. It is necessary for the pushing member to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the arbor. It follows that the apparatus must be made longer so as to permit the movement of the pushing member. To form a plurality of packages at a time, it is considable to provide a plurality of arbors in a circumferential direction. In this case, however, the whole device is rendered bulky.